Here - Radio Ink

I
BEST
MANAGERS
IN RADIO
t takes many skills to lead a cluster of
radio stations heading into 2016. The
successful radio manager of today must
not only understand every aspect of how
a radio station operates, from engineering
to sales to programming, but also the new
issues and challenges radio is tackling in a
technology-driven world. Is programmatic
going to drive new revenue? Should you
be part of NextRadio? How important is
having a mobile app for your listeners?
Is Pandora convincing clients to move in
its direction? Is search something radio
sellers need to learn about and teach to
advertisers? The list goes on and on — not
to mention the ultimate responsibility of
driving revenue in what has been a nearly
no-growth industry.
We asked the 2015 class of top
managers what motivates them to lead
people to success every day. And just
about everyone on this list told us first about
the importance of having great people,
employees who care about their radio
stations, their clients, and their listeners.
Some helped us understand how they are
dealing with challenges, both locally and
industry-wide. And others gave advice on
how radio can be stronger and generate
more — and new — revenue.
There are hundreds of great ideas you
can use right away in the pages that follow.
So let’s get to it. Here is Radio Ink’s list of
the 30 Best Radio Managers for 2015.
THE
DAVID ABEL
Abel says watching his team create,
thrive, and accomplish their goals
is what motivates him more than
anything else. “Our core culture is built
around the talent of our employees,
and I encourage creative solutions that
support our overall strategies within
each department,” he says. “To me
there is no better feeling in my job than when
I see my team members’ passion and creativity
fuel our efforts as a company to achieve new
heights.”
What is his number one challenge? Making
sure his team is doing a great job at keeping
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audience, we will continue to come
out on top, delivering a strong ROI.
I often share a bit of a history lesson,
stating that the record player was the
first technology that was going to
kill radio. Then there were 8-track
tapes, cassette players, Walkmans,
C D players, MP3 players, satellite
radio, and now pureplay streaming
services. What’s next?
“Time and time again, radio
continues to stay relevant and
maintain a dominant position among all
media. The reality is that radio was and
continues to be the ultimate mobile medium
that has a larger reach and a much better ROI
for advertisers than any other medium.”
David Abel, out front with
VP/General Manager
Apex Broadcasting
Charleston, SC
Apex staff.
radio relevant in the hearts and minds of
listeners and advertisers in an age where
technology has changed the landscape for
media. Abel says, “Radio is battle-tested, and
I tell my team that as long as we continue to
innovate and keep our brands relevant to our
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Alpert with his Kansas City staff.
DAVE ALPERT
VP/Market Manager
Entercom/Kansas City
Dave Alpert is a dynamic and experienced
leader who has built a market-leading cluster
in Kansas C ity. His focus on developing
integrated opportunities and world-class
events has helped grow the Entercom
stations and engagement with their listeners.
Alpert says he looks forward to the daily
challenges of motivating his staff. “I love
the fact that every day is different from the
previous day,” he says. “We have eight radio
stations with a full on-air staff committed to
providing Kansas City with the best live and
local content working side-by-side with 32
local sellers, so there’s never a dull moment.
In our building you will find baby boomers,
Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, and now millennials,
and each group has different motivations.
It’s challenging, rewarding, and fun to adapt
management styles to meet the motivations
of each generation and each individual.”
Alpert says the number one challenge
he faces today is on the revenue side of the
business. “At Entercom, one of my roles as
market manager is to think like I am the
cluster’s chief revenue officer. With that being
said, increasing new-business development,
growing and superserving your existing
direct and transactional business, growing
revenue in the ever-changing world of digital,
and expanding our opportunities in the
experiential and event business are all part of
being that chief revenue officer. My biggest
challenge currently is wrapping all of these
vital, long-term growth initiatives into one
cohesive, organized, and executable plan.”
For radio, Alpert says the challenge has
been all about perception. “First is the
perception that radio is a ‘traditional medium’
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that is in decline. We may be traditional in
the sense that we have been around a while,
but we are anything but in decline. Second is
the perception that radio is suffering major
time spent listening losses to the pureplays
of Pandora and Spotify. We are not suffering
major losses, and the new reach
figures just released prove
that. Third is the perception
that radio is only about the
audience that hears what
comes out of the speakers.
Again, not true. We are brands
with listeners who absorb our
on-air content, stream our
signals, surf our sites, interact
with our personalities on
social media, and attend our
events.The fact of the matter is,
with all of the challenges facing other media,
we as an industry are in great shape. We
offer enormous reach, stronger engagement
through our local personalities, affordable
campaigns on a relative basis, and local
activation that digital, TV, cable, print, and
pureplay can’t even come close to matching.”
DEAN
APOSTALIDES
SVP/Integrated Marketing Solutions
Entravision
Phoenix
Dean Apostalides has 32 years as a sales
and management leader, and he’s approaching four years with Entravision. He has great
leadership and visionary skills and always
looks for new and exciting ways to accomplish goals set for himself and his stations.
These skills, as well as his superior attention
to detail, have enabled him and his team to
make the Phoenix unit successful — and
Apostolides (r) with sales staffers David Acosta,
Esmeralda Rivas, Eleonora Sanchez, Eva
Esparza, recording artist Gerardo Ortiz, and
sales team member Erica Atencio.
WIth sales team members Blanca Williams, Eleonora Sanchez, Erica Atencio, and David Acosta.
profitable — for Entravision. He’s a leader by
example, and one who always offers his time
and efforts to help the team.
Apostalides says knowing that what radio
does every day benefits listeners, clients, and
the community motivates him to lead his
people to do great things. The three biggest
challenges facing radio as we head into
2016, according to Dean, are, “Other audio
competitors, diversifying our advertiser mix
to protect against a downturn within any
key category of business, and getting our
fair share of political revenue.” And, as a
manager, Apostalides says managing time
while ensuring he spends quality time with
his team and clients is always a challenge.
“There is never enough time to do all the
things you have to do.”
DAVID AYERS
Vice President/General Manager
Flagler Broadcasting
Palm Coast, FL
In 2007 Jim Martin and Gary Smithwick
founded Flagler Broadcasting with the purchase of an unbuilt construction permit in
Bunnell, FL, and they hired David Ayers to run
the station. There was no local commercial
radio station in the county, so he had to start
from nothing. Since then, Flagler has added
three full-power FMs and two FM translators. Smithwick says of Ayers, “He did this
through his skill and magnetic personality
and by contributing hours and hours of time
to local causes in Flagler County. We have an
extremely high retention rate among our staff
members, due in large part to his leadership.
I’ve been in the business since 1962, and I’ve
never worked with a more dedicated or more
professional general manager. He truly exemplifies excellent management skills coupled
with a strong commitment to providing
public service to his audiences. David is truly
a standout.”
Now, with 40 years as a manager, Ayers says
empowering his staff to perform with trust
and freedom is what motivates him every day.
“Motivation is self-perpetuating when people
love what they do,” he says. “Once those
fundamentals are in place, motivation is easy
and it awaits you every day.”
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THE
STEPHANIE
CALLIHAN
Vice President/Market Manager
Entercom
Austin
Stephanie C allihan
is a talented and motivational general manager who has reinvigorated Entercom’s
Austin cluster, where
her focus on employee
development and culture is driving great
results. She’s clientfocused and fosters a culture that develops
creative, integrated solutions for clients.
What motivates her? “After 26 years
in our business, I have never been more
passionate about radio,” Callihan says. “Radio
has evolved into a vital marketing tool for
local, regional, and national brands. We are
one of the few mediums that can activate the
consumer at multiple touchpoints. Whether
we engage the listener via our airwaves,
via rich digital platforms, or activate them
personally on the street, we have the ability
to create innovative solutions that will move
the needle with our abundant toolbox.
“I’m so grateful to spend my day doing
something that I’m deeply passionate about.
I’ve never woken up in the morning to that
horrible feeling of not wanting to go to
work. I truly love our business, and most
importantly, the people that I work with and
for. My mantra: ‘Live well, laugh often, and
love what you do.’”
For the future, C allihan hopes we can
do a better job of telling young people
about radio and why they should pursue
a career in our industry. “It’s very difficult
to identify, recruit, and develop our next
generation,” she says. “People are our single
most important asset.”
(L-r): Entravision VP/Programming Nestor Rocha,
KSSE (Super Estrella 107.1 FM)/Los Angeles
ability to incorporate a multitude of digital
opportunities that will provide continued
revenue growth. I am also excited for the
challenges that 2016 political opportunities
will create, allowing us to provide greater
reach and impact for this vital category.”
midday personality Carlos Alvarez, and Matt
Cardenas.
professionally and personally.”
C ardenas believes there are many
challenges facing managers today. “One of
these challenges is identifying, recruiting, and
hiring the best employees,” he points out.
“I believe it is imperative to the growth of
our team, and industry, that we continuously
strive to bring the best and brightest on board
in order to lead the future. The challenges
that I see for radio in 2016 are growthand recognition-related. Radio is a dynamic
medium that connects directly to listeners. I
believe it is vital for our growth to tell this
story and capture a larger portion of the
available marketing dollars. Radio also has the
STEVE
CHESSARE
VP/Market Manager
Greater Media
Detroit
Steve C hessare is one of Greater Media’s
premier market managers; since he took
over the company’s Detroit-based properties,
both ratings and revenue have gone up, and
morale has never been better. He says the
greatest satisfaction he gets from his job is
seeing someone in the organization succeed
in their role and knowing they are a vital
part of the team’s overall success. C hessare
says, “We have achieved so much over the
MATT CARDENAS
SVP/Integrated Marketing
Solutions
Entravision
Los Angeles
Matt C ardenas not only has the ability
to achieve revenue and ratings goals, he
also possesses an uncanny magnetism that
attracts other talent. “I am motivated every
day by the opportunity I have to support,
lead, and mentor my team,” he says. “It
really is an honor to see people you work
with every day achieve their goals both
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Forgy with his Columbus team.
past three years at Greater Media Detroit, and
it is the result of so many individuals doing
great things every day! The people here make
it energizing to come to work every day.
“The biggest challenge is living up to
the expectations of the people I am leading.
This group has come to expect that everyone
bring their ‘A game’ every day. There is a
communal drive to elevate GMD to new
heights of ratings and revenue growth. I
can’t afford to let this team down.”
We asked Chessare what he believes radio
can do better. “Radio has to do a better job
of being a solution provider to the people
we serve — the listeners, advertisers, and
employees,” he responds. “For listeners, we
have to create better content that will keep
them engaged and coming back for more.
For advertisers, we need to help them meet
or exceed their marketing objectives through
cool, custom, and diversified programs that
engage their target consumer. For employees,
we need to provide a dynamic, challenging
yet fulfilling work experience. I believe radio
is in an excellent place. No other source of
content reaches 94 percent of America on a
weekly basis.”
DANIEL A. FINN
SVP/Regional General Manager
Greater Media
New Jersey
This past year Dan Finn was inducted
into the New Jersey Broadcasters Hall of
Fame. He’s considered one of the very best
market managers in the Greater Media family
— admired by his employees, industry
leaders, advertisers, and the communities
he serves every day. “What motivates me
to lead my people to do great things is the
constant focus on winning,” Finn says. “This
industry is very competitive, and that keeps
it interesting and fun. It’s never boring. But
my motivation alone won’t get us where
we need to go. When hiring, I identify
candidates who share the same motivational
drive, coupled with a strong creative mind.
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Daniel Finn with Donna Eichmeyer of LiveNation.
Maintaining and sustaining the motivation
of the staff is the formula for success.”
Finn goes on, “As a manager, the top
challenge is actually outside the radio
facilities, in the media-buying community.
While the properties I oversee have been
very consistent with staff and solid in the
ratings for a very long period of time, the
fact remains that many millennial media
buyers don’t actually listen to traditional
radio and assume everyone’s habits are like
theirs. So an additional education process
is invoked in the buying process that didn’t
exist in the past.”
What can radio do better? “I think the
radio industry as a whole has to get back to
what made us relevant in the first place, and
that is content,” says Finn. “I’m a big believer
in live and local, and that’s what we’re doing
in New Jersey. This effort is totally supported
by Peter Smyth and Greater Media. It’s what
we are all about as a company. Overall, I
believe radio is in a very good place. We
still have a lot of ears listening. Digital has
affected more eyeballs than ears, yet as an
industry, we have taken an undue hit.”
CHRIS FORGY
President/General Manager
The Columbus Radio Group (Saga
Communications)
Columbus, OH
C hris Forgy has 30 years in the radio
business, 15 as a manager, and the folks at
the Columbus Radio Group tell us you can
go to him with anything, “even with your
hair on fire,” and he’ll
walk through a very
specific plan to overcome it, leading by
example. “G.R.E.A.T”
in his organization
is an acronym for
“Gratitude, Respect,
Enthusiasm, Accountability, and Teamwork.”
Forgy says, “It is the culture we created
years ago here at the C olumbus Radio
Group. In fact, at the end of each month,
through employee nominations, we give the
G.R.E.A.T. Award to the one employee that
best reflects the culture of G.R.E.A.T.-ness.
Then, at the end of each year, one employee
is awarded the annual G.R.E.A.T. Award,
which includes prizes and time off.”
He goes on, “Effective leaders create a
vision and a culture, then the employees
reflect that culture back to the leader. So
when someone in a leadership position
says, ‘We have a culture problem in our
organization,’ I would suggest they look in
the mirror. Leaders who don’t get up every
day with the simple objective in mind to
grow their people so in turn they can be
equipped to grow more people (and so
on) are really missing out on a wonderful
adventure that will serve their organization,
their people, and themselves quite well.”
JOHN FULLAM
Senior VP
Greater Media
Philadelphia
John Fullam has been called the “gold
standard” as a manager. His resume is a
blueprint for success,
and the Philadelphia
stations continue to set
the bar for the company.
Fullam says the
question of what
motivates him is easy
to answer. “I’m fortunate to work with an extraordinary
group of people who want to be the
very best at what they do,” he says. “It’s
important that our people get the support
and resources they need to be successful.
Building a strong workplace is important
and allows us to better serve our customers
and listeners. We are also focused on innovation initiatives for future growth, and
that too is a great source of motivation for
our entire team. Our stations strive to make
a difference in the lives of the people of
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Philadelphia, in so many wonderful ways,
and that makes our team proud.”
Fullam says radio’s three biggest
challenges today are growing revenue,
changing advertisers’ perception on how
effective radio is today at reaching every
consumer group, and monetizing online
listening. “Growing revenue in a flat
market is a significant challenge,” he says.
“It has forced us to deal with the brutal fact
that if we don’t adjust our sales strategy,
we will not grow. It requires us to invest in
our future and be equipped to build new
sources of revenue — particularly digital
and integrated solutions for our customers,
which are excellent opportunities for
future growth.”
Fullam also believes radio must invest in
talent and innovation to make content great,
and indispensable. “Like many industries,
radio is being challenged by a changing
economy and a variety of disruptors. If we
evolve, invest, and provide great content,
radio can remain an important part of
consumers’ daily lives in communities
across the U.S.”
MARK HANNON
SVP/Market Manager
CBS Radio
Boston and Hartford
Mark Hannon was appointed SVP and
market manager of the Boston cluster in
2007, and in
2015 assumed an
expanded role that
includes overseeing
CBS Radio’s stations
in Hartford. Before
his current role,
he was SVP/GM
of various stations
in Boston — Hannon has spent his entire
career in Boston, having started in sales at
American Radio Systems in 1989. He says
he’s fortunate to work in radio and as excited
to come to work today as he was 26 years
ago, when he broke into the business. “The
industry has changed dramatically over the
years, but what hasn’t changed is that it is a
people business first,” Hannon says. “It is so
gratifying to work with an amazing group
of professionals every day, and to marvel at
their achievements.”
Hannon says having enough time to get
things done is always a challenge for radio
managers. “We are all multi-tasking and
managing complex operations relative to
the past,” he notes. “Having the appropriate
amount of time to think, read, strategize,
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understand the competitive landscape, and
stay accessible to all of your people is a
monumental challenge, but exhilarating at
the same time.”
Heading into 2016, Hannon says radio
needs to do three things well: “Making sure
our brands are relevant and connected to
the local communities that we serve every
day. Understanding how audiences, especially
younger audiences, are consuming media
and radio in the digital era, and creating
and distributing content through any and all
means to stay connected to them. And, while
core business continues to contract, finding
ways to grow our business through creative
thinking, developing programs that deliver
optimum ROI for clients, and finding new
revenue streams in the digital era are essential.”
DEBBIE KENYON
SVP/Market Manager
CBS Radio
Detroit
Debbie Kenyon has been SVP and market
manager
for C BS Radio’s
Detroit
cluster
since 2008. She is
a constant on our
Best Managers and
Most Influential
Women in Radio
lists, as well as a
finalist in the 2015 Radio Ink Radio Wayne
Awards.
MARSHA
LANDESS
Station Manager
Radio One
Richmond
One employee told Radio Ink that you
can sum up Marsha Landess in one word:
integrity. “If you look up the definition of
integrity, it states, ‘The quality of being
honest and having strong moral principles;
moral uprightness. Synonyms: honesty,
probity, rectitude, honor, good character,
principle(s), ethics, morals, righteousness,
virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness,
sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness.’”
That employee told us, “All of these words
describe Marsha to a ‘T.’”
What motivates Landess every day? “The
passion and desire to be the best in everything
we do,” she says. “Enthusiasm combined with
the passion to win is contagious. When I see
these attributes in our staff, then I know we
are doing the right things that will lead to
greatness. What motivates me every day is
seeing the look on our team’s faces when we
have worked together to accomplish a goal.
Nothing is more satisfying than creating and
executing a flawless community event or a
client promotion.”
She goes on, “Helping people grow and
excel every day is exciting and satisfying to
me. I want to know our team’s professional
and personal goals so I can help them.
My position is as the person who helps to
alleviate obstacles, provide resources, coach,
train, empower, and listen. We learn together
from the mistakes we make and the risks we
take. Part of growth is taking the risk to do
something new or different, to come out
of our comfort zone. We won’t win if we
do the same things over and over. We have
the ability to change lives, and if we are
committed to being the best we can be, then
nothing else matters — except, of course, to
have fun along the way.”
SUSAN LARKIN
Regional Vice President/GM
Cox Media Group
Orlando and Jacksonville
Susan Larkin is motivated to lead her
people to do great things because she’s
assembled a group of employees who care
deeply about what they do. “I am inspired
to walk in every day and be on a team with
super-talented people who are passionate
about our business, care about engagement,
love to innovate, and have each other’s backs,”
she says. “I can see the difference our brands
and personalities make in our communities.
I get to witness it every day. It’s a great
feeling to hear from business owners that
our sales and marketing folks have helped
them to engage their customers and grow
their business. Our employees genuinely
care about each other. I work with my
friends every day. I also work for an amazing
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other for the audio consumer. They will use
us based on their needs. As long as we in
radio continue to be everywhere the listener
wants or expects us to be and we provide
the content they want and need, then we are
relevant. We continue to be a very important
personal part of our listeners’ lives. We just
have to do a better job of translating that
effectiveness to revenue.”
Seen above are CMG’s (l-r) Nick Figueredo, Drew
Anderssen, Roz Clark, Kim Guthrie, Luis Hernandez, Susan Larkin, Tammie McGrath, and Jimmy
Farrell.
company that expects performance, aligns
everyone around core values, and wants to
make a difference in our communities.”
What radio can do better moving
forward? “I think we continue to be very
creative and have a keen eye on engaging our
listeners,” Larkin says. “We have apps, events,
social media engagement, etc. We must take
credit for this. We need to do a better job of
educating and marketing to the ad-buying
community. I think Erica Farber and the
RAB have really done a great job of moving
that forward. The broadcasters uniting will
always be a good thing — I have seen more
of that lately.
“I am very excited about the future. I
am not saying that to be Pollyanna, either.
We have proven that we aren’t competing
with pureplays like Pandora, Spotify, etc., for
the listener. It doesn’t have to be one or the
With the company sales leadership at the annual
CMG President’s Cup Gala (l-r): CMG’s Stephanie
Sabota, Aaron Miller, Jason Meader, Melanie Martin,
Keith Lawless, Brittany Evans, Scotti Vaughn,
Tim Clarke, CMG EVP/National Ad Platforms Kim
Guthrie, Jenny Sutton, and Claire Hobby.
KEITH LAWLESS
VP/Market Manager
Cox Media Group
Tampa
Keith Lawless is one of the most innovative
and creative leaders in the business. Radio has
always been about more than just the on-air
product for him; it’s also the opportunity
to work with highly talented people, create
events that enhance listeners’ lives, and
embrace digital technology as a new way to
connect with the audience. Under Lawless’
leadership, the CMG Tampa cluster has created
new formats that are more than just music
machines; they’re designed to be a part of the
audience’s lifestyle. He is also very active in
the Tampa community, serving on the board
of directors for the Boys and Girls Club, Big
Cat Rescue, Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture
and the Arts, and more.
Lawless tells Radio Ink he’s motivated
every day by the professionals he gets to
work with. “Their competitive drive and
innovative thinking are inspiring,” he says.
“The media industry presents us with new
opportunities every day, and having a group
of professionals that are excited to embrace
it every day is all the motivation I need.”
Lawless details what he believes radio’s
three biggest challenges will be moving
into 2016:
1. Keep the conversation going about
radio. Don’t expect it to sell itself. While
most radio stations have their sales
departments selling a full marketing
solution, including many assets besides
radio, they have to make it a priority for
radio to get its fair share. While radio has
been the most widely used marketing
weapon historically, others are doing their
best to reposition our relevancy today. We
must not forget to position our medium,
or else our position will be defined for us.
2. C ontinue to invest in local content.
C ontinued innovations allow for more
accessible,
higher-quality
content
distribution. Many stations are beginning
to sound more and more homogenized,
COX MEDIA GROUP
SALUTES TWO OF OUR STAR RADIO LEADERS. YOUR INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP
HELPS US WIN IN OUR MARKETS AND SHAPES THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW.
SUSAN LARKIN
Regional VP
Jacksonville/Orlando
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KEITH LAWLESS
VP General Manager
Tampa
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with increased voicetracking. That is the
path of least resistance in tough times.
Radio’s localism is one of its biggest
consumer benefits.
3. We mustn’t eat our young. As digital
third-party revenues increase, so does the
cost of sale. As we strive to maintain our
margins, we have to find new and innovative
ways to have operational efficiencies — that
don’t compromise our business operation.
WAYNE LELAND
President/General Manager
Tidewater Communications (Saga)
Norfolk
Wayne Leland epitomizes the term
“leader.” He has a unique ability to get the
most from each and every member of his staff.
His approach to the team and the workplace
make working for him fun, exciting, and
enjoyable. He’s passionate about our industry
and shows that passion each day — whether
brainstorming ideas for a client, solving a
problem internally, or simply returning a
phone call from a listener — Leland does it
all, and does it with a smile. He’s been in the
business for a long time, yet after all these
years he shows no sign of stopping and wants
every day to be a win. It’s obvious to those
around him that he simply loves being in
radio and wants everyone around him to love
it too — and they do.
“I’m motivated by helping my people
succeed, helping them grow and watching
them achieve more than they ever imagined
they would,” Leland says. “My role, really, is to
be a servant to my team. I serve them so they
Top: WNOR (FM99)/Norfolk News Director Shelly
Ashburn, morning show spors director Rod Fitzwell, and morning personality Rick Rumble. Below:
FM99 DOS Carol Commander, Rod Fitzwell, station
client Jeff Craddock, FM99 AE Lindsey Seaford,
and Wayne Leland.
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can achieve great things and, simultaneously,
my company achieves. I firmly believe that
not only do I serve each team member, but
also their family. Decisions and actions within
this building ripple outward and affect many
other people who don’t work within these
walls. It’s a big responsibility that I think
about every day.”
What about challenges? Leland replies,
“The number one challenge I face is the
ongoing search for upcoming talent —
finding and creating that next generation
of broadcasters. At Saga, we utilize our
internship programs and internal mentoring
program to help develop new incoming
talent. In support of that effort, we work
with state associations and colleges to access
their pool of young talent for potential
placement in all departments within our
organization.”
At the end of the day, Leland says radio is in
a fantastic place. “We are stronger than ever at a
time when other mediums are facing difficult
challenges brought about by changing culture
and technology. I’d like to see the industry be
better at promoting itself, at promoting what
radio has to offer — its strengths and values.
We’ve got that all-important local connection,
we influence our community and deliver for
advertisers. Too often those in a position to
buy radio advertising perceive radio as second
fiddle. We need to shift that perception to
crystalize our position as the most powerful
reach medium.”
MARK MABEN
General Manager
WSOU-FM/South Orange, NJ
Seton Hall University
Mark Maben is an exceptional manager
when it comes to people, motivating without
micromanaging or coddling. He takes the
time to mentor his student managers at this
college station, ensuring that they learn.
He expects the students to run the station
to professional standards, and that’s one of
the many reasons WSOU enjoys a national
reputation for excellence.
Maben says he’s fortunate to have a
job where he’s helping people shape the
future, and that is a tremendous motivation.
“The opportunity to work with students
on a daily basis, to sharpen their skills
and mentor their professional growth, is
exceptionally gratifying,” he says. “And the
two professional employees I also manage
are simply some of best folks I have ever
worked with. It is deeply satisfying to see
those you manage succeed in their positions.
Our listeners are another motivation for me.
Mark Maben with student Ryan Kenter and (below)
WSOU underwriting sales and marketing manager
Jen Kaizer
My team and I want them to have a great
experience when they tune to WSOU.
“Finally, I love good audio. Like so many
of us in the industry, radio was a companion
and inspiration while I was growing up, and
I want to see the medium I love continue
to evolve and thrive over the course of this
century. I know the students I work with today
will be leaders in the industry in the future.”
Looking ahead, Maben tells Radio Ink
he would love to see radio more engaged
with colleges and universities at all levels:
“It is a relationship that needs to extend
well beyond simply taking students as
interns. The more stations and groups are
engaged with college students, the more
likely we will revitalize our programming
and cultivate new generations of listeners.
So have your PD spend time on your local
college campuses to just talk with students.
Give some students an hour or two on
your station and challenge them to ‘Come
up with something great.’ Work with your
business school to develop a curriculum
that really prepares students for media
sales. Use college kids for your high school
sports play-by-play. Invite professors,
advisers, student affairs staffers, and others
to your station.
“Engage a college kid as a reverse
mentor for you or your team. FM took off
in part because radio let a lot of young,
passionate people play around and come
up with something new and different that
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THE
listeners liked and wanted. I think radio
would be better off with real partnerships
and engagement with young adults, where
we play and experiment together.”
ERIC MASTEL
VP/Market Manager
Cumulus Media
Savannah, GA
Mastel, a 30-plusyear radio veteran, says
what motivates him to
lead people to greatness is
simple: He loves what he
does. “Leadership is not
a position or a title,” he
says. “It is an action and
an example. I believe the
passion and success I have
is apparent and infectious. I have been
successful at every level in this business,
from seller to president of Max Media,
overseeing multiple markets and over 60
stations. I am now committed daily to
helping and guiding others to achieve the
level of success they desire.”
He sees three big challenges for
radio moving forward and offers these
suggestions. 1. Re-emphasizing the value
of the local rep. “We are in the relationship
business, and our feet on the street are the
tip of our marketing spear,” he says.
2. Understanding programmatic buying
and its appeal. “We have to be careful not
to assume this represents a total paradigm
shift for the whole industry. It’s one way
of buying media, but not the only way
of buying, and it works for some better
than others. We must resist losing our
competitive edge in favor of speed.”
3. Recognizing that new media is very
good at some things, but it isn’t very good
at everything. Mastel explains, “Pandora
and Spotify, for example, serve a certain
market that is growing but will never
exceed radio’s reach and localism. We have
been in the audio business for far longer
and know how to navigate it. We have
to do what we do better than them, not
necessarily do what they do better than
them. Radio, if invented today, would be
32 | RADIO INK | October 12, 2015
RI_pxx_Managers_10-12.indd 32
hailed as a technological marvel, offering
content free of charge to the masses.”
KRISTIN
OKESSON
Market Manager
Connoisseur Media
Connecticut
Okesson is a familiar face on our Best
Managers list. She’s highly respected in the
Connoisseur family, and those who work for
her can’t say enough great things about her.
“I love identifying what success looks like
for an employee and working with them to
Above right: Okesson with singer Andrew McMahon
and Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw at a station
event.
www.radioink.com
9/30/15 8:52 AM
BEST
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THE
get there,” says Okesson. “I love watching
my team succeed, so to that end I am
motivated by helping our employees achieve
success in any way that I possibly can. There
is nothing like that feeling when an account
manager comes running into my office to
tell me about a great sale, or watching that
new station the team has worked so hard on
climb up the ranker, or the implementation
of a new idea that came from one of our
many talented employees.
“The key to leading my team to do
spectacular things is to allow them to feel
encouraged to take a leap of faith — to
throw out ideas, whether it’s for their
personal development, a new project they
want to work on, or a zany idea they came
up with over the weekend. We have over
100 employees who are relying on us to
thrive, and I believe part of the key to our
success is in striving to make employees feel
appreciated, that their ideas are valued, and
that their victory is ultimately my victory as
well. I spend a lot of time getting to know
the team I work with on a personal and
professional level.
“This is not about radio day in and
day out for me. We spend 40-plus hours
together, and all elements of our employees’
lives are important to me, not just what they
do within the scope of our radio stations. I
am motivated by creating a culture where
employees feel that they have what they
need to succeed, have my support, feel an
open sense of communication, and know
that we are committed to developing them
for future career growth.”
DAVE PEACH
General Manager
WCDQ, WIMC & WCVL
Forcht Broadcasting
Crawfordsville, IN
Dave Peach has held many positions during
his career — air personality, broadcast seller,
general manager, sales manager, sports playby-play, copywriter, promotions. Forcht CEO
Mike Tarter says that in Crawfordsville, Peach
has the stations performing at a high level,
all with a small but highly dedicated staff.
“He brings a positive attitude to the station
every day,” says Tarter. “He is always willing
to teach and lead others. Dave took over the
Crawfordsville stations some eight years ago
and rebuilt the sales, our reputation, public
service, and commitment to the community.”
Peach, like all of our top managers, credits
his people. “We have an excellent team here
in Crawfordsville,” he says. “We have several
staffers who represent the next generation
of leadership, and I want to pass along to
these young broadcasters the principles of
exceptional local broadcasting I was taught at
their age by broadcasters I admire to this day.”
Knowing when to jump in and try to save
the day and when to let the team figure it out
on their own is something Peach sometimes
finds to be a challenge. “You want to make
sure every spot is up to date, every break is
tight, and every sales call is well prepared,” he
says. “You have to trust your team. Passionate
broadcasters will learn from their mistakes.”
Peach says he would like to hear air
personalities tell people about the impressive
numbers for overall radio listenership. “They
are always promoting the top television
shows and movies,” he points out. “Why not
tell people how many million people listened
to radio last week? Why not promote the top
10 radio personalities in the country?”
BOB PHILIPS
SVP/Director of Sales
CBS Radio
Baltimore
L-r: Forcht Sr. AE Phil Thompson, sales rep Elizabeth O’Brien, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Public Marketing Specialist Matthew Oates, and Forcht GM
Dave Peach.
Bob Philips was
named senior vice
president and market
manager for C BS
Baltimore in 2000,
overseeing the day-today operations for the
four-station cluster.
His successes include
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Vol. XXIX,
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PUBLIS
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Radio’s Futu
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October 12, 2015 | RADIO INK | 33
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negotiating the broadcast rights for the
Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, and
Maryland Terrapin Sports. He also launched
the very successful Sports station WJZ-FM
(105.7 The Fan).
Philips says what motivates him to lead his
people to do great things is “the smile that
comes along with achieving success and the
growth opportunities they achieve with their
careers.” He says radio companies succeed
when they build on their best asset: people.
“As the business evolves, we must continue to
attract talented individuals to pursue careers in
our industry.”
GORDY RUSH
VP/Market Manager
Guaranty Media
Baton Rouge, LA
Gordy Rush was named the Louisiana
Association of Broadcasters’ Broadcaster
of the Year in 2013 and Golden Mike
Gordy Rush
winner in 2009; he’s the first person ever
to win both. He also serves as sideline
reporter for the LSU Sports Radio Network
for football, and WDGL is a finalist for a
Marconi Award for the second time in
three years.
MIKE SAVAGE
General Manager
WBAA-AM & FM & HD2/West
Lafayette, IN
Purdue University
The desire to be the
best is what motivates
Mike Savage every day.
“We have created an
environment at WBAA
that encourages creativity,
innovation, and initiative,” he says. “I want
my staff to constantly improve and learn,
but most importantly, create great public
radio content that goes far beyond just
being relevant; it is essential and engaging.
In my view, the key is to celebrate the
success of your station through your staff
by giving them the credit. Help them grow
as people and as broadcasters, and make
the work environment so good it’s difficult
for them to consider leaving for other jobs.
In 2014, with the help of staff, I created
a comprehensive mission statement for
WBAA. This drives everything that we do
as an organization.”
Savage’s number one concern is digital
disruption. “It keeps me up at night,” he says.
“As listeners shift away from appointment
listening and move to on-demand listening
such as podcasting, we as broadcasters can’t
count on drivetime listening and formulas
to carry us from book to book. We must
engage the audience at a hyper-local level.
This is dictating changes to our business
model that we would not necessarily do on
our own.”
CONGRATULATIONS!
Radio One, Inc. believes in the importance of
good leadership and is proud to have three of
our own named “Best Managers in Radio”.
MARSHA LANDESS
Station Manager
Richmond
GARY SPURGEON
Vice President & General Manager
Houston & Dallas
34 | RADIO INK | October 12, 2015
RI_pxx_Managers_10-12.indd 34
KATHY STINEHOUR
Vice President & General Manager
Detroit
www.radioink.com
9/30/15 11:33 AM
on our industry in 2016 if our industry
leaders do not double down on efforts
to influence these decisions at a level that
has the ability to create effective change.
Manufacturer support is vital to our Tier 3
automotive business.”
Spaulding (in front) with staffers.
MATT SPAULDING
Market Manager
Cumulus Media
Ann Arbor, MI
A direct quote from one of Matt
Spaulding’s employees: “Matt is a magnificent
manager. He’s a constant resource for energy,
an inspiration to all those who report to
him, he lights up any room, and he leads
by example, putting in endless hours, and
I mean endless. Actually, he puts in far too
many hours, which worries us all. He says
that when you absolutely love what you do
and who you work with, it’s never work.”
Spaulding says, “There is no single
element of my day that motivates me more
than the repeated success of my team.
My team’s success fuels my passion; their
creativity inspires and re-inspires me every
day. If I am considered to be one of the best
managers in the industry, it is because I have
had the pleasure to work with some of the
very best people, whose commitment to our
audiences, clients, and community provides
me a platform to stand proudly upon.”
He sees time management as his biggest
challenge. “As market managers, we review,
assess, address, coach, mentor, lead, balance
budgets, forecast performance, train,
negotiate, and engage our teams, clients,
and partners — daily. Every member of my
team is important. Every client is important.
Every endeavor and every strategic plan is
important and must be given real attention
in order to facilitate successful execution. I
believe the only thing that limits the level of
success realized every day is time.”
Spaulding has an interesting perspective
on the automotive category moving forward:
“In 2016, I believe we will encounter
even greater headwinds in the automotive
category. Although we work every day to
establish a greater level of diversification in
our advertiser portfolios, we continue to
see significant revenue derived from Tier 3
automotive. Over the last 18 months, I have
seen a greater amount of manufacturerdirected reallocation of our revenue into
digital. This could have a significant impact
www.radioink.com
RI_pxx_Managers_10-12.indd 35
GARY
SPURGEON
VP/GM
Radio One
Houston
Spurgeon (in back) with Houston team.
Gary Spurgeon
points out that that
when leadership
is passionate, it’s
contagious,
and
it permeates the
workplace. “What
motivates me is
creating a fun and
collaborative work environment, getting
involved in the community, and having a
true passion and excitement for the radio
business,” he says. “I am blessed to work with
very talented and intelligent people. My goal
has always been to surround myself with the
best people and then get out of their way and
let them do their jobs. There is nothing more
amazing than watching an organization grow
and seeing individuals become more than
they thought they could be. It’s about the
hard work, competition, mutual respect,
collaboration, family, and having fun — and
by the way, I did say have fun!”
Spurgeon notes that radio is facing a
number of challenges: “The decline in
radio revenues and the segmentation of
advertising budgets from traditional radio
to digital outlets — advertising dollars are
being moved out of radio budgets faster
than at any time in our history. We need
to continue to educate and demonstrate to
our agencies and clients the effectiveness
of radio.
“We’ve always managed in a multigenerational work environment. However,
the millennial generation is dynamically
October 12, 2015 | RADIO INK | 35
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THE
changing the workplace. We as leaders need
to keep an open mind and be ready to adapt
to this new generation. We must recruit,
develop, and keep local talent. We have no
farm team! Where is the next generation of
great announcers coming from? We need to
find new ways to recruit talent and bring
these individuals into our industry.”
KATHY
STINEHOUR
VP/Market Manager
Radio One
Detroit
Kathy Stinehour is
a 25-year management
veteran; she’s been a
leader in Toledo, Kansas
C ity, Houston, C hicago,
and New York C ity. She
started out as an AE
in Detroit, where she now manages the
cluster for Radio One. She’s motivated by
watching her people succeed at things they
weren’t certain they could accomplish,
followed, she says, “by the amazing growth
in confidence that results from achieving
their own success. It is a tremendous
feeling you never get tired of.”
Stinehour believes the number one
challenge facing managers is sales
recruitment. She observes, “Radio is
perceived as ‘old media’ by millennials,
and being paid a draw against commission
earned is inconceivable to them.” And she
says radio needs to embrace all things audio:
“Pandora is not the enemy. We should be
partners.”
MIKE TARTER
General Manager
WTLO & WYKY/Somerset, KY
President/CEO
Forcht Broadcasting
An employee at Forcht’s Somerset
stations tells Radio Ink the team at
WYKY-FM and WTLO-AM enjoys a
positive, progressive, educational, and
compassionate work environment — due
in large part to Mike Tarter’s leadership:
“Mike is held in high esteem by leaders
in the radio broadcasting industry,” says
the employee. “I have become a better
broadcaster working with Mike. He is a
general manager who works each day to
ensure he provides an environment that
lends itself to radio success for his staff.”
Mark Tarter is motivated by working
in an industry he loves with people who
are highly dedicated, and for a company
that supports his efforts. “I’m able to
work alongside some of the most loyal
and talented people in the business,” he
says. “They work very hard every day and
help us superserve our communities and
customers. Seeing how they perform at a
high level every day is very motivating.
“The major challenge I face each day
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is making sure we continue to provide
relevant content for our listeners, and
helping our clients grow their businesses
with strategies that will drive customers to
their stores. We want to be able to help our
communities in some way every day.”
and excited about radio, I must create and
maintain a work environment that allows
for the motivation and success of today’s
generation.”
JACKIE WISE
VP/Market Manager
Entercom
Wichita, KS
JOHN J WALKER
Regional VP, Birmingham,
Huntsville, and Montgomery
Market Manager, Birmingham
Cumulus Media
Nothing defines
a
strong
leader
much better than an
employee’s telling a
great story. We heard
from an employee of
Walker’s who told us
he immediately made
her feel like someone important. “He gave
me a chance when he could have chosen
from many candidates,” she said. “If you
ask anyone who works here, they will say
the same thing. He boosts our morale and
cares what happens to each and every one
of us. I couldn’t imagine what it would be
like without him. I have learned so much
from him, because he is a teacher and a
great leader.”
Walker says he’s blessed to have something
in his DNA that makes him want to lead
people to a better performance. “Because of
my father, there has always been something
very ‘second nature’ about it for me,” he says.
“He was a leader and taught me to accept
nothing less than the best. As a manager, my
success is dependent upon the strength of
my team. By surrounding myself with an
enthusiastic, hard-working staff, we continue
to strive for greatness together, individually,
and as a company.”
Walker continues, “The biggest challenge
I face as a manager is making sure that I am
creating the right culture and environment
to attract and retain the best and brightest
in the industry. I learned early on as an AE
that the radio is always on, and every day
has a sense of urgency to it. In order to
keep my team moving in the right direction
www.radioink.com
RI_pxx_Managers_10-12.indd 37
Jackie
Wise
epitomizes
the
small-market leader
in a consolidated
world. Her focus
on providing great,
varied brands, great
customer solutions,
and leadership in the Wichita community
show her commitment to our industry and
the community. And she says few things are
more satisfying than seeing good people
work hard and win. “I feel a strong sense of
responsibility to do what I can to assist our
team and individuals to excel,” says Wise.
“This may be done in part by providing
a healthy environment they can thrive in,
setting expectations that allow them to
stretch their talents and gifts, understanding
what’s significant to their motivation, and
caring about them beyond what they can
put in your pocket on any given day.
“It’s energizing to me when an employee
performs at a level they didn’t think possible
in part because someone else believed
in their ability to do so. When you see
something in someone they don’t see in
themselves, you can set them up to perform
at a higher level than they might otherwise.
You increase their realm of possibility.”
MICHAEL YOUNG
SVP/Market Manager
CBS Radio
Pittsburgh
Michael Young has spent his entire
professional career in radio, and has been
with CBS for over 28 years. He joined the
company in 1985 as part of the in-house
national sales firm.Young held various sales
and sales management positions before he
moved to Pittsburgh in 1996, where he
first served as GSM for KDKA-AM, then
as VP/GM of KDKA-AM. He says what
motivates him every day is seeing the
collective engagement and ownership his
team demonstrates in the work they do.
“Our CBS Radio Pittsburgh stations have
a number of options that we can create
and deploy when it comes to potentially
Top: Young (r) with (l-r) KDKA’s PJ Kumanchik, Jim
Graci, Rob Pratte, Kelly Pidgeon, Larry Richert, Amy
Mauk, and Andrew Limberg. Below: Young (c) with
KDKA morning due Larry Richert and John Shumway
at the station’s annual Spaghetti Breakfast.
reaching new listeners and further engaging
the current audience base,” Young says.
“The challenge for our program managers
is determining the right programming and
distribution methods for each station. With
so many different audience-interaction
options to select from, it makes for an
interesting challenge — it’s actually a good
problem to have.
“I am a believer that radio is in a good
place. Radio has a great deal of local content
that is both unique and very beneficial to
the communities we serve. Additionally,
radio is filled with many success stories
of how the medium has delivered results
for advertisers. We constantly receive this
feedback from our Pittsburgh advertiser
base, and it reinforces how much influence
our stations and the medium in general
has with our products. It is a strong and
confident feeling.”
October 12, 2015 | RADIO INK | 37
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